Ellicott Awaits DEC Bait-And-Shoot Permit

January 10, 2014

ELLICOTT- Ellicott is closing in on the start of the bait-and-shoot initiative.

The bait-and-shoot program will be taking place on Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy's property behind Fairmount Plaza. About 10-15 pounds of cracked corn will be set up each day for two to three weeks to attract the deer. Scott Schrecengost, Celoron mayor, will be the one doing the baiting. Schrecengost suggested getting about 30 tags for the project, and send back anything not used to the Department of Environmental Conservation.

"This is a perfect time for the baiting," said Patrick McLaughlin, town councilman at Monday's Ellicott board meeting. "With this much snow and this much cold, they (the deer) will come in for that corn."

All that the board needs to push forward is a permit from the DEC.

In other news, the board received a letter requesting a resolution from Ellicott Town Board to take over the streets on the Howard Avenue Project. The proposed project is a development for apartments, and once the road is built to the town's specifications, Ellicott will take it over. This has been tabled to give the lawyer, William Wright Jr., time to read over the proposal.

Ellicott also held its organizational meeting, where it authorized the salaries and appointments, including the committees. Councilman Robert Picket Jr. heads the economic development and town facilities committees, Councilman Robert Heintzelman heads the finance committee, Councilman George Beckerink and Heintzelman head the public safety committee, McLaughlin and Beckerink head the human resources committee, McLaughlin heads the public facilities committee and Supervisor Cecil Miller III heads the administrative committee.